Overview

• Putin delivered the acknowledgment in a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe.
• The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 flying Baku–Grozny on Dec. 25, 2024 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan after diverting, killing 38 of 67 aboard.
• Putin said two air-defense missiles exploded near the jet during efforts to counter Ukrainian drones, with fragments likely striking the plane.
• He pledged compensation for victims and punishment for those at fault, meeting long-standing demands from Baku for accountability.
• Aliyev thanked Putin for keeping the probe under his personal control, while both sides signaled a desire to stabilize relations after months of strain.